Stackable trestle



Alwin 25 W5@ c. J. ERNST. 2,505,532

STACKABLE TRESTLE @WWI prim 25, 1950 c. J. ERNST 25955532 STACKABLETRESTLE Filed Sept. 12, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 gmc/nm www:

maw M95@ c. J. ERNST STACKABLE TRESTLE Filed slept. 12, 1945 Patented25, 195@ STACKABLE TRES'ELE Clemens .1'. Ernst, Sidney, Ohio ApplicationSeptember 12, 1945, Serial No. 615,777

7 Claims.

This invention relates to trestles such as are used by carpenters andother mechanics to support their Work; or such as are used to supportportable table tops, or boards to constitute platm forms for varioususes.

Trestles of this character consist generally in a horizontal body barprovided at or adjacent each end with a pair of laterally flared ordown- Wardly diverging legs. These legs are usually connected in pairsby transverse brace bars to lend rigidity to the device. To give furtherrigidity to the trestle, depending Aupon the use for which it isdesigned, diagonal brace bars are sometimes provided between the bodybar and the legs.

With trestles of this usual construction it has been practicallyimpossible to satisfactorily nest or stack the same either for storageor transportation. Either they will not fit together with suiilcientcontact to form a stable stack; or, if they do contact sufficiently,they bind and cause difficulty in separating the same for use.Furthermore, when the transverse leg braces are provided they interferewith the proper nesting as the distance between the braces at theopposite ends of the trestle is less than the length of the trestle.Also when the diagonal braces are used, they also prevent properstacking and separation.

An object of the present invention is to provide trestles of the classmentioned which may be readily stacked or nested when not in use, andwhich may be readily transported While stacked, thereby savingconsiderable space, and time in handling.

A further object of the invention is to provide trestles of suchconstruction that two or more thereof may be nested and readily carriedby hand.

A further object of the invention is to provide trestles which whenstacked will be cornparatively firmly seated, one upon the other toprevent undue relative movement.

A still further object of the invention is to provide trestles of suchconstruction that when stacked they will be snugly seated one within theother without binding, so that they may be readily separated for use.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a stack of trestles,ample hand space between the body bars to aid in handling the stack andto assist in separating the trestles.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

With these objects in view, this invention consists generally in aplurality of similar trestles E nested or stacked one Within the other,means in each trestle in juxtaposition to adjacent parts of othertrestles in the stack, to permit but slight relative movement of theseveral trestles, and means to prevent binding contact between saidtrestles.

The invention further consists in a stack of trestles, each trestlecomprising a body bar, a pair of downwardly diverging legs at each endci' the bar, and transverse braces connecting said legs in pairs andproviding means to prevent but slight relative horizontal movement ofthe several trestles.

The invention further consists in a stasi; i nested trestles asmentioned, in which. the said brace bars are so constructed that theywill prevent appreciable relative horizontal movenient of the severaltrestles While stacked, but will permit greater freedom of horizontalmovement when one trestle is raised a short distance from the next lowertrestle, thereby permitting ready separation of the same.

The invention further consists in various details of construction andcombination of parts all as will be fully described hereinafter andparticularly pointed out in the claims.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a stack of trestles embodying myinvention in its preferred form;

Figure 2 is an end elevation thereof;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3--3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a similar section of one end of the stack, upon an enlargedscale, and illustrating a modified form of one of the transverse legbraces;

Figure 5 is an elevation of the inner face oi the brace illustrated inFigure 4;

Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating the function of said brace bar whenseparating the trestles;

Figure 'l is a side elevation or" one of the trestles removed from thestack;

Figure 8 is an end elevation thereof;

Figure 9 is a plan view of the same;

Figure 10 is a side elevation of a stack of trestles of a modified form,the front legs at the left end being removed to more clearly illustratethe invention;

Figure ll is a detail of a modified form of longitudinal leg brace;

Figure 12 is a side view of a stack of trestles illustrating a furthermodification;

Figures 13 and 14 are side elevations respectively of the two trestlesforming the stack illustrated in Figure 12;

Figure is an end elevation of the stack shown in Figure l2; and,

Figure 16 is a perspective view of the transverse leg brace shown inFigures 1 to 3, inclusive.

Figure 17 is a detail view illustrating the cooperation of the roundededges on the ends of the body bars and brace bars when stacking orunstacking the trestles.

Referring to the form of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 9,inclusive, of the drawings, Fig ures 1 and 2 represent side :and endviews respectively of a stack of similar trestles or units, one of whichis illustrated in Figures 7, 8 and 9. As shown in Figures l and 2 thestack is composed of four units although the invention is not limited toany particular number.

Each unit or trestle comprises a longitudinal horizontal body bar Illand a pair of legs II-ii at or adjacent each end thereof. The body barI6 may be of any desired transverse dimensions or proportions, and ofsufficient lengthto serve the purpose for which it is designed. The legsI I which are attached to the body bar are beveled at their upper endswhere secured to the body, to give the desired angular downward iiare orspread to the legs. Connecting the legs i I of each pair is :isubstantially horizontal transverse brace member 2 which maybe spaced atany distance from the ends of the legs, but preferably about midway oftheir length. n

These braces I2' are secured to the outer edges of the legs, and theinner faces of the braces at the ends thereof are provided with seats i3which are angularly disposed to t against said edges. In order' toprevent' the braces I2 from binding against the edges of the legs of thelower trestles when stacked, the inner faces of said braces are cut awayor recessed as at I4, as shown in Figures 3 and i6. As shown in saidgures, this may lie i merely a concave recess extending from one seat I3to the other. With this form, when the trestles are stacked, the edgesof the legs of the next lower tr'estle are held substantially conne'dbetween the shallow end portions I5 of the recess ifi adjacent the seatsI3, which will maintain the tres'ties' in vertical alignment; but as thelongitudinal distance between the portions l5 of the opposite braces isslightly greater than the distance be tween the outer edges of the'legs, there can be no binding of one trestlel upon the other.Furthermore, as the upper tres'tle is lifted, the deeper portions of therecesses will come opposite the upper portions of the legs of the lowertrestle where they are convergent, thereby permitting the trestles to befreely separated.

In Figures "i, 5 and 6 a modified form or bar I2a is illustrated whereinthe recess Moi is formed by stepping the inner surface. In this form theportions adjacent the seats I3 are but slightly cut away forming facesI5 of suiiicient length to ex tend across the legs of the next lowertrestle and giving the clearance similar to that provided at I5 inFigures 3 and 16; but being a iiat suriace to engage the dat edges ofthe legs, will be more durable. Between the portions I t the recess isfurther deepened as at Il to give greater clearance after the uppertres'tle has been initially lifted, as illustrated diagrammatically inFigure 6. It is obvious that when an upper trestle is raised so that theface I6 is clear of the legs of the next lower trestle, the larger anddeeper recess Il' allows more clearance so that the bars i2 will readilyclear the ends of the body bars le.

To brace the trestle legs longitudinally, angudit' ' units.

4 larly disposed braces I8 may be provided, if desired. These may beformed of any suitable material, such as wood or metal. In Figures l, 2,to 9, and 12 to 15, these braces are illustrated as formed ofcomparatively thin strips of material having their upper ends Iiisecured against the outer or lateral faces of the body bar, and'theirlower ends 2e secured to the inner sides of the respective legs I I. Ifthe braces are of suiciently thin material the ends 2l) may be secureddirectly to the inner faces of the legs as shown in Figures 1 and 2; butif thicker material is desired they may be secured in diagonal recessesor mortises 2 I, as illustrated in Figure 8.

Setting the ends into the legs as described, not only avoids friction orbinding of the units in the stack, out also prevents clothing or otherarticles catchingl thereon. For this latter mentioned purpose thecorners of the braces I8 may be rounded as illustrated in Figures l2 to14, and

the outer edges of the transverse braces I2 may also be rounded as shownin Figures I, 2f, 14 and 16. V

In Figure ll is illustrated a small gusset brace 35 which may be made ofmetal. This is often sufficient in trestles for many purposes, and givesmore free space under the trestle than when the longer diagonal bracesYare used, which isof particular advantage when the trestles are to beused to support boards as for a picnic table.

On the under faces ofthe body members I0l are secured blocks or spacingmembers 23, which space the body portions of the nested trestle's apartsuiiiciently to provide hand spaces 24 to permit insertion of the`fingers or'hand when separating the trestles.

In Figure 10 a. modiiied form of trestle is illustrated. As showntherein the legs II are not only flared laterally as in the precedingform, but are also slightly flared longitudinally. By this arrangementthe end braces need not be recessed as hereinbefore described as it isevident that as the upper trestles are lifted the clearance between theend braces and the ends of the lower trestles increases continually,thereby facilitating easy separation of the trestles.

In Figures 12 to 15 inclusive a further modiiication is shown. Thisconstruction is adapted for use with only a pair of trestles, a lowertrestle 25wand an upper trestle 26. The body bar 2l of lower trestle 25is somewhat shorter than the body bar 28 of the upper trestle 26, andthe transverse braces 2.9 thereof are secured to the inner edges of thelegs 30 of the shorter lowermost trestle, whereas the brace bars 3l ofthe upper trestle are secured to the outer faces of the legs 32 thereof.This gives ample clearance between the outer extremities of the lowertrestle and the inner faces of the braces 3I of the upper trestle toper-mit ready separation of the Blocks or spacing members 33 areprovided on the under face of the Vupper body 28 to provide the handspace 34. This form is particularly adapted for use where only twotrestles are needed, as by carpenters, or as a support tor table topssuch as used by paperhangers and others.

In order to facilitate stacking and unstacking of the trestles, it isadvantageous that the end edges of the body bar I0 be rounded asillustrated at 35 in Figures l, 2 and 17 and thatthe inner edges of thetransverse brace bars I2 be similarly rounded as at 35. By roundingthese parts as described, the trestlesmay be readily placed one upon theother to form a stack, and

readily removed from the stack without one trestle catching on another,as would be the case where sharp corners exist at these places. Figure17 illustrates how these rounded edges will cause the contiguous `partsto pass without interference and guide each trestle properly as it isplaced upon those beneath.

While several specic forms of the invention have been shown for purposesof illustration, it is to be clearly understood that various additionalchanges in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention asdefined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A stackable trestle comprising a horizontal longitudinal body bar, apair of downwardly divergent legs disposed uprightly in a planeperpendicular to said bar at each end of said body bar, and a transversebrace connecting the legs of each pair intermediate the ends thereof,the inner faces of said transverse braces having mutually opposedrecesses to provide clearance for a .similar trestle upon which it issuperposed.

2. A stackable trestle comprising a longitudinal body bar, a pair ofdownwardly divergent legs at each end of said body bar, and a transversebrace connecting the legs of each pair intermediate the ends thereof,the inner faces of said transverse braces having recesses to provideclearance for a similar trestle upon which it is superposed, and saidrecess being of greater depth at its central portion than toward theends.

3. A stackable trestle comprising a longitudinal body bar, a pair ofdownwardly divergent legs at each end of said body bar, and a transversebrace connecting the legs of each pair intermediate the ends thereof,the inner faces of said transverse braces having recesses to provideclearance for a similar trestle upon which it is superposed, the upperand lower inner edges of said braces being rounded.

4. A stackable trestle comprising a longitudinal body bar, a pair ofdownwardly divergent legs at each end of said body bar, and a transversebrace connecting the legs of each pair intermediate the ends thereof,the inner faces of said transverse braces having recesses to provideclearance for a similar trestle upon which it is superposed, the upperand lower inner edges of said braces being rounded and the upper andlower transverse edges of the ends of the body bar being rounded.

5. A trestle structure of a form for nesting one within another, saidtrestle structure comprlsing a horizontal longitudinal body pair, a pairof downwardly divergent legs disposed uprightly in a plane perpendicularto said bar at each end of said body bar, and a transverse braceconnecting each pair of legs, said transverse braces having mutuallyopposed recesses in their inner faces between said legs to provideclearance for the legs of a similar trestle upon which said trestlestructure may be superposed.

6. A trestle structure of a form for nesting one within another, saidtrestle structure comprising a horizontal longitudinal body bar, a pairof downwardly divergent legs disposed uprightly in a plane perpendicularto said bar at each end of said body bar, and a transverse braceconnecting each pair of legs intermediate the ends thereof in positionfor traversing the legs of a plurality of lower trestles when thetrestle structure is stacked with similar trestle structures, each saidtransverse brace being recessed a slight depth where it would beopposite the legs of a next lower trestle when stacked, and deeper atthe portion where it would lie opposite the legs of other lower trestleswhen stacked.

7. A trestle structure of a form for nesting one Within another, saidtrestle structure comprising a longitudinal body bar, a pair ofdownwardly divergent legs at each end of the body bar, and transversebraces connecting each pair of legs intermediate the ends thereoftraversing the legs of a plurality of lower trestles when the trestlestructure is stacked with similar trestle structures, each saidtransverse brace being recessed to provide fiat faces where it would lieopposite the legs of a next lower trestle when stacked so as to maintainsuch trestles in vertical alignment but spaced to prevent binding, andthe portion of each said brace between said flat faces being recessedmore deeply.

CLEMENS J. ERNST.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record. in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 350,153 Petty Oct. :5, 1886605,367 Wright et al June 7, 1898 861,496 Breckenridge July 30, 19071,471,223 Tomlinson Oct. 1.6, 1923 1,934,000 Piccirilli Nov. 7, 19332,084,567 West June 22, 1937 2,376,787 Larson May 212, 1945

